West Virginia sportsman buys Mescher Farm

GAMBIER — A West Virginia businessman and sportsman is the talk of the township after buying the 247-acre Mescher Farm at auction on Saturday. Kenny Mason of Alma, W.Va., didn’t show his hand while auctioneer Dave Kaufman sought top offers on the farm by parcel. But when it came time to offer the entire Harrison Township farm — on condition that bidding start at 101 percent of the combined parcel offers — Mason proved to be a determined buyer.

Provisional bidding on parcels that ranged from eight to 94 acres, and for mineral rights, took about an hour. Six hopeful buyers pledged a combined $1,297,208, slightly less than the $1.3 million paid to the Mescher family for the farm in June by David and Miriam Hershberger of Millersburg. But that whole process was rendered academic when several serious players quickly emerged after Kaufman asked for a starting bid of $1,325,000.

The price increased incrementally, stalling once at $1,625,000, and again at $1,750,000, while two remaining bidders and several hundred onlookers pondered the next move. Finally, with a bid of $1,775,000 from Mason in hand, the veteran auctioneer was unable to elicit another bump. Combined with a 5 percent buyer’s premium, Mason will pay $1,863,750, when the sale closes around the first of the year.

There was a collective sigh of relief from many of the people on hand when the farm sold in one piece. It had been in the Mescher family for nearly 50 years, and matriarch Ruth Mescher, who passed away in 2011 at age 94, wanted it to remain intact. Her heirs, four children in their 60s and 70s, were caught off guard and upset when Saturday’s auction was announced. They thought the Hershberger family was going to move to the farm, but didn’t attach any stipulations on future use in the sales contract.

Sherie Mescher, a daughter-in-law of the late Fred and Ruth Mescher, was all smiles.

“I really think Mom was up there pulling strings,” she said. “We’re just thrilled.”

Harrison Township officials and Mescher neighbors like Jeff Price, who farms a tract just across Ohio 229, were also emotionally invested in the transaction and hoped subdivision could be avoided.

“’I’m one of very few people who have hunted here,” Price said. “I know the place like the back of my hand. The Meschers have been great neighbors.” When the farm lost power during this summer’s violent storm, Price loaned a generator to the Meschers so they could continue their last family gathering in the five-bedroom farmhouse, parts of which date back to 1861.

Mason is from Alma, W.Va., where he farms and operates Drilling Appalachia Corp. and DAC Energy. He has been in the oil and gas business for nearly 30 years, but said he has no inclination to drill on his new Knox County property.

“I don’t have that in mind at all,” Mason said as new neighbors welcomed him to the area. “We have friends here, and it will be for recreation and hunting. It’s only about two and-a-half hours from home, so it will be great for weekends and vacations.”

Mason said he plans improvements to the house and outbuildings and some repairs around the three-acre pond. He’ll use a brush hog on portions of the property that are overgrown, and farming on a portion of the land will continue under an existing lease.

Kenyon College’s Philander Chase Corporation makes determined efforts to maintain the rural character of townships surrounding Gambier and Kenyon College, and Managing Director Lisa Schott was on hand for the sale. She chatted with Mason about the possibility of preserving the property for posterity through the Clean Ohio Agricultural Easement Purchase Program.

“This has been a great day,” Schott said. “It’s hard to envision an outcome that would be much better than this.”

Mason had looked into other rural properties in Knox County, but until now had no success finding one of the size and with the features he sought. His new property is crossed by a creek, features the large pond and has extensive standing timber.

“It’s hard to find a spot this size,” he said. “It’s a beautiful property, and I would have gone a little bit higher if I had to.”

Mason had looked into other rural properties in Knox County, but until now had no success finding one of the size and with the features he sought. His new property is crossed by a creek, features the large pond and has extensive standing timber.

“It’s hard to find a spot this size,” he said. “It’s a beautiful property, and I would have gone a little bit higher if I had to.”